Second look: Snapshots from the latest in college football

Black helmets didn't help Georgia. Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, left, runs for second-quarter yardage as Georgia defensive end Demarcus Dobbs attempts to make the tackle during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009, in Jacksonville, Fla. Florida won 41-17.(AP Photo/Phil Coale)MONDAY MORNING QB>
Borrowing Grambling's hel­mets and pants didn't help Georgia. Maybe
borrowing Gram­bling's players would have. Just like with the blackout
in 2008, UGA tried to alter the uniform to alter its luck Saturday.
Instead, the Bulldogs awakened the defending national champion. Texas
and Al­abama say thanks but no thanks.

THE WEEK THAT WILL BE

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Iowa may be in the Big Ten driver's seat, but Penn State and Ohio State
are ready to pull off a Keanu Reeves and steer the bus to Pasadena. The
traditional powers meet Saturday in JoePa Country.

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How does Oregon handle binge offense? Fresh off a 47-point, 613-yard
performance against USC, the Ducks have to shake the hangover for a
trip to Palo Alto, where Stanford has emerged as the surprise of the
Pac-10.

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In the SEC, it's all about two teams on a collision course to At­lanta.
Everyone assumes it's Flor­ida and Alabama. But LSU can take control of
the SEC West-- and dash Bama's national title hopes -- with a successful
trip to Tuscaloosa.

GRIDIRON TALK

"As coaches, we failed to make our coaching points more
compelling than (the players') fat little girlfriends. Fat little
girlfriends have some obvious advantages. For one thing, their fat
little girlfriends are telling them what they want to hear, which is how great you are and how easy it's going to be." -- Texas Tech coach Mike Leach explaining away a bad game for the Red Raiders.***"(Jeremiah) Masoli was ridiculously effective. . . . The
runs that he popped, whether they were scrambles or by design, just
broke our back." -- USC coach Pete Carroll, complimenting Oregon's quarterback***"No one can really hang with us in this league and across the nation." -- Oregon's Masoli, whose team is playing as well as anyone but still can't shake an opening-game loss to Boise State***"I think that's the best defense I've faced -- probably in my career. They have a lot of speed and they made some plays." -- Oklahoma State quarterback Zac Robinson after a 41-14 loss to Texas and Will Muschamp's defense***"Wait, they had black helmets? I didn't even notice that. At some point, it's just about playing football." -- Florida defensive end Jermaine Cunningham putting Georgia's new look into perspective.

HEISMAN RACE

1. Colt McCoy, Texas QB: Was an efficient 16 of 21 passing for
171 yards and a TD in the rout of Oklahoma State. Last week: ranked 1st.

4. And the doormats shall inherit the
postseason: Duke is but one win away from bowl eligibility while Temple
is enjoying a six­-game

winning streak, its longest in
35 years.

But black jerseys helped Tennessee? Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton (8) rolls out to pass during the first half of a NCAA college football game against South Carolina Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009 in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne) 5. Does Lane Kiffin do anything
that doesn't impact recruiting? Mouthing off to Mike Slive, wearing black jerseys and getting a mention in lyrics from Lil Wayne. Yes, it gives him street cred with prospects.

6. But mamas also play a key role in recruiting. Most moms want their
son to play for a father figure, not someone who acts like a rebellious
teen.

7. Lloyd Carr couldn't win the big one against Ohio
State. But his successor, Rich Rodriguez, is struggling with winning,
period. Michigan has lost four of five, going from the Top 25 to possibly staying home for the holidays again.

8. Think Chris Todd is resilient? How about Iowa QB Ricky Stanzi? He goes from throwing five

interceptions to leading Iowa to 28 points in 12 minutes against
Indiana. Alas, the Hoosiers defense hasn't been the same since Mike
Davis headed to the Southside.

9. Of all the controversy surrounding Bobby Bowden at Florida State,
the worst sign of the impending apocalypse came Saturday, when just
67,712 fans showed up at Doak Campbell. Whiny trustees are one thing, but absentee fans affect the financial bottom line.

10. Georgia and Tennessee resorted to donning new uniforms in an
attempt to provide a Halloween scare. Oregon just wore the ones
provided by Nike to do the same. Oregon has 384 uniform combinations.
Can't they get one that's just right?

Doug Segrest's Second Look ap­pears every Monday during the col­lege football and basketball sea­sons.